In software engineering pedagogy, which programming language among the following is most closely associated with and purposely designed for structured programming practices?

Introduction / Context:
This item evaluates your knowledge of programming-language design goals, specifically the language traditions that encouraged structured programming (sequence, selection, and iteration; block structure; strong typing). Understanding which languages were created with these principles helps explain why they are favored in teaching systematic program design and readability.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A list of historical high-level languages is provided: PL/1, FORTRAN, BASIC, and PASCAL.
• The focus is on ‘‘more suited to a structured program,’’ meaning language constructs that encourage clear control flow, block scoping, and disciplined use of procedures/functions.

Concept / Approach:
Structured programming emphasizes top-down design, limited use of unstructured jumps, and block-structured scoping. Pascal was created by Niklaus Wirth with education and structured programming in mind, featuring clear syntax for procedures, functions, and strong typing, making it a textbook example of a language aligned with structured programming pedagogy.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Consider each language's design goals and historical use.PL/1 combined many features but was large and not primarily a teaching vehicle for structured programming.FORTRAN (earlier versions) emphasized numeric computation with limited block-structuring; later standards improved, but it was not designed originally for teaching structured methods.BASIC (early dialects) allowed unstructured flow (e.g., heavy GOTO use).Pascal explicitly promoted block structure, strong typing, and procedural abstraction for structured programming.

Verification / Alternative check:
Most computer science curricula in earlier decades adopted Pascal in introductory courses precisely because it enforces structured style and clear program organization, before many transitioned to languages like Modula-2, Ada, or later C/C++/Java.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• PL/1: Powerful but complex; not tailored for teaching structured design fundamentals.
• FORTRAN: Foundational for numerical work; early versions lacked strong block structuring typical of structured pedagogy.
• BASIC: Early forms encouraged unstructured flow control; although modern variants add structure, historically it is not the exemplar.
• None of the above: Incorrect because Pascal is a canonical structured language for teaching.

Common Pitfalls:
Judging by popularity instead of design intent; overlooking how early language revisions (pre-standardization) handled control flow and types.

Final Answer:
PASCAL